Sunday, March 02, 2008

Alexander Cozens was a drawing master of a very unusual kind. Rather than have pupils copy his own work (the usual method), he encouraged originality through a method of 'blotting': pupils used brush and ink to make rapid, semi-random blots which could then be elaborated into more recognisable landscapes. Cozens taught this method as early as the 1750s and published it around 1785 in his treatise 'A New Method for Assisting the Invention in the Composition of Landscape '. This was illustrated with eighteen aquatinted blots, some of which are shown here. Other illustrations demonstrated different ways of developing two of them, while help with adding skies was provided by a series of small engravings of schematic sky compositions.

from A New Method for Assisting the Invention in the Composition of Landscape. Half Clouds Half Plain, the Clouds Darker than the Plain or Blue Part, and Darker at the Top than the Bottom Etching on paperimage: 110 x 159 mmon paper, print

from A New Method for Assisting the Invention in the Composition of Landscape . All Plain, Darker at the Top than the Bottom, Gradually Etching on paperimage: 110 x 158 mmon paper, print

from A New Method for Assisting the Invention in the Composition of Landscape . A Flat, Bounded on All Sides by Groups of Objects Aquatint on paperimage: 199 x 303 mmon paper, print

It is the best time to make some plans for the future and it's time to be happy. I've read this post and if I could I wish to suggest you few interesting things or advice. Perhaps you can write next articles referring to this article.I wish to read even more things about it!

Excellent post. I used to be checking constantly this weblog and I am impressed! Extremely useful info particularly the last phase :) I deal with such information a lot.I was seeking this certain information for a very lengthy time. Thanks and good luck.